75 — CALL OF DUTY
In the Temple of Athena, moods were not the best in the days leading up to the Galleon's departure.
From the day it was decided that the only alternative was to go around the world on Athena's Galleon until the day of its departure, Saori had the most diverse encounters: from a meeting with all the remaining Gold Saints to videoconferences with the highest Graad Foundation directors. What the two meetings had in common was the guests' displeasure.
Her departure from the Foundation had caused significant losses in revenue, and her resurgence asking for help from the maritime sector was also met with some reluctance, although Tatsumi guaranteed full support for whatever was needed. With the Gold Saints, however, the conversation went a little deeper.
The first meeting took place at the House of Aries, where everyone sat at a wonderful round table prepared by Mu. Nicol thought it was imprudent for the Goddess Athena to descend the Twelve Temples, as she did not fulfill the rite of encounters between mortals and the divine, but he did not voice his concern to his friend Mayura, much less to Athena, since, from the total absence of before, at least she was participating in the meetings in that moment of crisis.
Now that she had abandoned the hut in Rodorio for good, Athena had moved into her Temple, but she thought it was important not to be totally isolated, when she knew from Shaina that even some Gold Saints were not satisfied with the choice of such inexperienced young kids to such an important mission.
"The Holy War against Hades is still our biggest concern. We cannot leave the Sanctuary of Athena without its main defenders." said Master Mayura to pacify the discontents.
Both she and Saori understood that the Gold Saints weren't offended by being left aside, but actually worried a lot about the young ones who had to put their lives on the line, especially Seiya, who had already fought so hard. The truth is that, within each of them, they still felt indebted.
"I cannot understand such an important mission without the presence of a Gold Saint." said Aioria, worried.
"Poseidon's Crisis is unexpected." Mayura said. "We know that Hades historically invades the Sanctuary of Athena, so it's imperative that the Gold Saints be here."
What no one dared to say aloud was the accounts of the Gold Saints who had lost their lives in the battle of the previous months, still very painful but strategically terrible as the Sanctuary forces were gravely unattended.
"Aioria, will you be responsible for Dragon training?" Shaina asked, slightly deflecting the subject.
"Yes. With the Old Master of the Five Peaks' blessing, we believe she is ready."
"Great." said Shaina. "We also have two new Bronze Cloths arriving from abroad. Tomorrow we will have an ascension ceremony and I hope to count on your presence." she said, looking at Saori directly.
She agreed.
The meeting was interrupted by a sharp knock on the Council's door, to which Mayura replied asking him to enter: it was Nicol, who came with a huge man at his side and Geist. It was that captain. Together with Nicol and Geist, it was decided, after all, what route they would take around the Seven Seas and so the plan was presented to everyone. And at the end of the route presented, Master Mayura alerted them to something that worried her.
"Asgard." she just said.
"I agree, Master Mayura." Nicol went on. "The Kingdom of The North has been specifically singled out by the Gemini Saint as a potential enemy, and according to the Excellency's nautical chart, Asgard will be the last port they dock."
"We must send someone to Asgard overland as soon as possible." added Shaina.
"We don't know if that's possible." Nicol argued.
"It is possible." interrupted Miro, the Scorpio Saint. "Camus knew the Paths of the North and once told me that there is a legendary path that leads to the Divine Realm of Asgard."
"Aquarius Camus?" Nicol asked, very interested.
"Yes. As you know, Camus was known as the Master of the Books, but also as the Mage of Ice and Water. The former Camerlengo singled out Camus to train Saints in Siberia, but in his childhood and adolescence, Camus actually developed his Cosmo in Northern Europe."
"In Asgard?"
"Not exactly, but I remember Camus talking about how he came into contact with an Asgardian and that he was even in Valhalla at his invitation."
"Do you know this Path?" Shaina asked, and Nicol's curious eyes immediately fell on the Scorpio Saint.
"Unfortunately, that secret Camus never confided in me." Miro lamented.
There was a certain silence among everyone present until Nicol spoke with his usual politeness.
"I'm going to look into Master Camus' studies." he announced. "With luck, I'll be able to find more information in your books."
"Perhaps I can help you with your research." Miro commented, and Nicol nodded his head.
"Then it's decided." Mayura said. "If you find the Path to the North, we'll deploy a Saint to secure the situation in Asgard."
"I think I'm the best fit for the mission." Miro began, and someone on his side completed for him.
"The Gold Saints must remain in the Sanctuary of Athena." repeated Leo Aioria, as if it were a mantra.
"Aioria is right." Shaina rose. "I will assign a Silver Saint so that…"
"No." Miro interrupted Shaina's speech. "If I cannot go, I believe the most correct thing is to send Camus' disciple. If Camus really knew someone in Asgard, maybe he could get in touch with that person."
"It's too important a mission to send a Bronze Saint." replied Shaina.
"There are no missions too important for the Bronze Saints." Saori argued for her friends, looking at Shaina.
Nicol, next to the Ophiuchus Saint, almost melted with embarrassment when he saw in the Silver Warrior's eyes a fire that seemed to fulminate Athena across the table, a behavior largely inappropriate before the Goddess.
"In that case, I believe we can send Cygnus alongside a Silver Saint." Mayura temporized beside him.
Saori sat down again, reassured and agreed with Mayura's idea. Alice held her hands under the table without anyone seeing her. And so it was agreed in that tense meeting of the Council that Hyoga would leave as soon as possible for Asgard.
Poseidon.
The God of the Seas.
That was the huge name Alice shared with Seiya and his friends two days after Saori had left the hut never to come back between them. Plans and departures were all immediately interrupted with the emergence of that new and unexpected threat.
"That means we'll have to face Hades and Poseidon." Shun said to everyone, dropping down on the couch.
"How do you fight a God?" Hyoga asked himself, and Alice couldn't answer.
"I don't even know how to be friends with one." she commented.
"Well, it seems to me that the plan is to keep him from waking up." pondered Shiryu. "Just like we did with Eris."
"How can we help?" Seiya asked, looking seriously at Alice.
She didn't know how to choose the words to say to the boy that, for now, they could do nothing but go on with their lives, their training and obey the calls of the Master at Arms, who would give them the missions.
"Shaina is the one who will take care of it. Soon we will have the Ascension of the Bronze Saints, when we will know better how we can help."
"Jab and the others have returned?" asked Shun and she confirmed it.
"How is Saori?" asked Seiya finally.
Alice looked at the boy and found a little sadness in his eyes when she realized that he would need to postpone his long-awaited meeting with his sister again.
"She is fine. She was very upset about having to cancel your trip to Athens, but she is fine. And she will be fine." she said, almost promising them something.
And so they took a deep breath as they realized that the battle could unfold much sooner than they imagined.
Poseidon.
A name that soon spread like wildfire through Rodorio, who was buzzing with gossip and conversations shared between the residents in the main square, in the tavern, at the fair, on the pier, always someone bringing something new from the voices of the mountains among the giants. Those who had battery-operated radios or even a satellite antenna tuned in to the news channels in search of any more radical weather forecast.
The truth is that the threats to the Sanctuary were never hidden from Rodorio. The Sanctuary's main concern has always been that these secrets reach the world of men, but Rodorio was never visited and its inhabitants were too proud of the divine function they performed, so that these matters were never heard of outside the Sanctuary's territory.
Seiya spent the first few days with his friends at the Arena watching the training of aspiring Saints; sometimes they themselves helped Shaina and the other Silver and Bronze Saints in training a dozen boys and girls who wanted a Cloth to help in the War to come.
That afternoon, however, Seiya was a mere spectator of the aspirants. The memories that that group of young people brought back to him were immense, of his times in that arena. He thought about Marin, who he hadn't seen since the end of the battle against Saga and who Saori didn't know where she had gone. He knew well that Marin was only absent for more than important occasions, as it had been when she'd dropped them off at the beach to find out about the Camerlengo's secret. Seiya thought that, at some point, she would have a part in that whole plot.
"Is this where you got beat as a kid?" asked a stinging voice to his right, of which he immediately guessed the owner.
"Hey, Jab." he greeted tersely, as if getting ready to put up with the boy's jokes. "Yes, but now I get beaten anywhere."
They all laughed, but Jab composed himself.
"Not bad at all." Jab said, sizing up the Arena with his hand on his hip. "It really does look like a place where a Saint like you would train, Seiya."
The boy looked at Jab and found a defiant smile on his face, and he extended his hand.
"Thank you so much for taking care of her." he said.
Seiya greeted him, a little surprised by Jab's apparent humility.
"I heard you brought in new Cloths from abroad."
"Yes, Jab and I came back with some lost Cloths from Mongolia." said Ichi.
"Jack, Nachi and Ban will also return soon with other ones." added Jab.
"We'll finish off Hades' army!"
"That's the spirit, Hydra." Hyoga commented, approaching them.
The entire group seemed to come towards Seiya, Jab and Ichi: Hyoga ahead, but Shun, Shiryu and even June cam from behind, followed by a small child that Seiya didn't know very well, but who was the technician that took care of the hospital apparatus for Mu: her name was Lunara. They all sat around Seiya, a step above or below, as the Arena dispersed from the many aspirants who were training to be completely empty.
The ceremony was about to begin.
Seiya lightly nudged his friend Shun in the leg and pointed a few floors up to Ikki, who was watching them; she smiled at her brother and at Seiya and stood alone watching the ceremony unfold. The Arena received, as it always did, some onlookers from Rodorio, who loved to jostle in the Arena to watch the trainings and, especially on that important occasion, witness the ascension of Saints, which was always a special event. That entire side of the seats, where Seiya sat with his friends, was full.
It was a special day, for the Goddess Athena would be among them.
On the other side of the Arena, on a sort of absolutely empty plateau, there were only two Bronze Cloths Urns resting on the extreme sides. And going up the stairs, revealing herself to the audience, finally the figure of Mayura appeared, sitting in her wheelchair, with a white cassock and a gold helmet on her head. She was followed by Alice who pushed her, wearing a very pretty white dress. As soon as the two were placed side by side, Saori appeared walking with her golden staff, also magnificently dressed in a soft dress, held at the waist by a wonderful golden belt, resting like a beautiful statue above the two. Beside him, Seiya could notice the several surprised interjections of those present with Athena's revelation; they, so used to seeing her stroll around Rodorio like just a girl, now saw her in her divine splendour.
The amazed contemplation was interrupted by Shaina, who appeared on the Arena floor, where Seiya had been beaten so much, in fact, and knelt before that divine entourage. And when she got up again, she looked at the audience, where Seiya was sitting, and her eyes, always furious, beckoned to two figures who also entered the Arena, in front of Mayura and the Goddess Athena. Seiya recognized the two.
Mayura's deep voice greeted them.
"The Goddess Athena recognized Shinato and Mirai as one of her Holy Saints. And it is with great justice that I give you the Sacred Bronze Cloths!"
The beautiful Cosmos of the two Bronze Saints shone in that Arena, resonating with the two Urns that were at the ends of that plateau, causing them to elegantly open and the mythological figures of what appeared to be a small hare as well as a feline to emerge.
"The Sanctuary salutes the ascension of Lynx Shinato and Lepus Mirai.
The Cloths abandoned their mythological form to cover the bodies of the young warriors who stood before Athena. There, two new Bronze Saints were born to the order.
The Arena's common audience cheered as if the two young men had made a goal in favor of their football team; applause, cheers, roars and a great ovation took over the audience until Shaina told everyone to shut up. After all, there was still the most important thing.
Mayura's voice again rang out as she fell silent across the Arena.
"Since the dawn of times, the Saints protected Athena and fought for justice. The Sacred Cloth should only be used in the service of justice." her voice grew even deeper and more menacing. "You must never use it for your own sake, for your personal ambitions. If you turn your back on that oath and sully the Cloth, not only the Saints here in Greece but all those around the world will come after you to punish you. Shinato, Mirai, never forget that."
Seiya looked at his side at Shun and then at Hyoga, because in his thoughts he fully knew how much that was true.
As Shaina escorted Rodorio's audience back to the city, Shinato and Mirai, with their beautiful Bronze Cloths, were greeted by Seiya and his friends, who invaded the Arena to congratulate them on the feat.
"Xiaoling would have been very proud of you." Seiya said to them.
"You're right." agreed Mirai. "I think if she hadn't been so stubborn, I wouldn't have continued to try so hard myself."
"For all the effort is now being recognized." Mayura's deep voice spoke behind them.
"Master Mayura." Shinato began. "Thank you so much for everything, Master."
She just nodded and, beside her, Saori was smiling at the two new Bronze Saints.
"Congratulations, Shinato, Mirai." she began. "I remember Alice telling me how rigorous you were in training them. I'm sure you will be great Saints."
"Thank you, Athena." replied Shinato.
Saori then turned to Jab and Ichi.
"Jab, it's great to see you again. Thank you so much for bringing the Cloths." she began, but Jab felt overwhelming embarrassment.
And he threw himself on the ground, kneeling in front of Athena, but realizing that Ichi was still looking dizzy and standing, he pulled him down too.
"At your service always, Goddess Athena." said Jab.
Saori laughs at Jab lightly and asks him to get up.
"Now she could hop on him and ride." Seiya said softly to Shun, who poked him in the stomach.
"We were lucky enough to visit amazing places around the world." said Jab.
"And the others are still around. There's more to come!" Ichi announced.
The afternoon was pleasant and the friendly atmosphere among those young ones who were still only children, but now they seemed full of honors and rites to follow, as if they were old as legends. The smile on their faces and the lightness in their chests, however, were comforting for the hard and heavy days that had passed.
"Geez, here comes trouble." Ichi announced when he saw Shaina return, after having escorted the audience out of there.
Shaina walked over to them, who turned to her; her steps were always hard on stone and Seiya noticed how she had painted her face like she used to do; her eyes strayed from his for a brief moment and she called out their names, like a teacher making sure his students were present.
"Hydra and Unicorn, prepare to leave as soon as possible; you will go to the East. Lynx and Lepus, your destinations will be in Africa, to seek more Cloths on the continent. Cygnus, you are expected in the House of Aquarius. Dragon in Capricorn, Andromeda in the House of Libra and Phoenix in the House of Virgo." she finished.
And when she ended the calls, Seiya thought it was strange.
"Hey!" he caught the girl's attention. "What about me?"
"You are expected on the docks." she announced.
"At the docks?" he asked, not understanding anything.
Seiya and Shun looked at each other, not quite understanding what it all meant, but they needed to trust that their Master at Arms had a purpose. And so the afternoon dispersed with many farewells, good luck wishes, and each one going his own way. Seiya watched, with a heavy chest, as his friends Shun, Hyoga, Shiryu and Ikki left together for the huge mountain of the Twelve Palaces while he had to return to Rodorio, where the Sanctuary pier was.
With Miro's help, Nicol eventually found Camus' detailed map of the Path of the North, a trail described as terrifying and hidden in the peaks of Northern Europe. The day before the Galleon's departure, everyone said goodbye to Hyoga, who from the Sanctuary would go straight to Asgard to wait for them to arrive by ship in a few months. Next to him, Shaina singled out the Crow Silver Saint, Jamian, who cried whenever he saw himself in Saori's presence. He would kneel on the floor, try to kiss her feet, it was a huge scene, but he really felt very guilty about having kidnapped her in the past.
Anyway, they left.
And the next day, alongside Alice, Saori went down to Rodorio, for the joy of many children who danced around her and played with each other. She crossed the main square to the edge of the village where it overlooked the Aegean Sea, where she would see Athena's Galleon depart with a huge piece of her heart.
"Are you feeling all right?" Alice asked when she saw Saori's sore eyes.
"All he wanted was to go after his sister, and now he needs to go on yet another battle."
In the sea, to the joy of many around, but to Saori's sadness, the Galleon of Athena finally emerged from inside a cave, flickering its beautiful sails. He wasn't huge like a war galleon, but smaller and faster. Still, very beautiful to see sailing into the sun.
The Galleon of Athena, once discovered, underwent seven days and nights of repair in the deft hands of Sanctuary craftsmen, who gave it new boards and trim, new sails, and better equipped compartments. At the end of the repair week, the craftsmen, still inside the cave in smaller vessels, watched with great joy as the little Galleon hoisted anchor to gain the depth of the Aegean Sea. At the top of the mountain, Saori, Alice, Mayura and Shaina saw the Galleon appearing below in the sea carrying their hopes to seal the Seven Relics of the Seas.
On the deck of the beautiful ship, Seiya was behind the helm when he heard Geist's harsh voice announce through the vessel.
"Captain on the bridge!"
The Captain was a robust man, he wore no hat, but a wonderful navy blue overcoat, with an insignia that was an elegant gold replica of Athena's golden staff. A weathered nose and a clear, white glass eye. He smiled at Geist and placed his huge hand on her shoulder.
"What an honor to serve at your side, Argo Geist!" he announced powerfully. "I couldn't have a better first officer."
"I'll be here for whatever you need, Captain." she repeated, very seriously.
"Ha! Is this ship flying or diving, my Helmsman?"
"Wherever you order, Captain." replied Seiya very seriously.
"I can't wait to see if this week was really enough to get you in shape. Where's my navigator-engineer?" he said, taking out of his overcoat a wonderful old-gold binoculars, which could be magnified even further by retracting one of the lenses to make a beautiful telescope.
"Reporting for duty, my Captain!"
"Here you go, Lunara." he said, handing her the gold spyglass and hugging the little one, marveling at the gift. "Will you give me all the speed I need?"
"Speed is my middle name, Captain!"
"Then get on that crow's nest and don't let us miss a thing!"
"On it!"
Lunara jumped up onto a bench that quickly climbed to the top of the mainmast, like an elevator, which she herself had very deftly installed. And with her eyes on the spyglass, she already screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Land ahoy!"
"That's the spirit!" the captain cheered up.
From the top of the crow's nest, the small and very young Lunara, an expert craftswoman, who had previously been master-at-arms for the Black Saints and also learned incredible secrets in Jamir, would serve that crew by controlling the unfurling and angling of the sails, as well as all the navigation of the Galleon.
The Captain took hold of the railing and felt the ship gain speed in the Aegean Sea, breathed in that salty breeze with joy and looked at his crew on the right side, finding the medical officer with a very grim face.
"You were Master Mu's personal indication. Are you ready to be the medical officer of this quest?"
"We won't last a day." June replied, very worried.
"That's why you're here, to make sure we return to this port after crossing the Seven Seas safely."
"I can already see at least four crew members looking like they've seen a ghost."
The captain ignored the medical officer and went forward on the bridge's parapet, from where he quickly saw the small figure of the engineer from the crow's nest. And, like clockwork, she aligned the sails the way they should be and unfurled them so that the Galleon gained even more speed.
"Sails are all out and we're at full speed, Captain!" the engineer announced, turning to her side as if flying.
"Very well, Luna." he looked to the side and saw Seiya very serious, with a firm face on the helm. "Are we ready, helmsman?"
"Aye, Captain Kaire!"
"Then it is with great pleasure that Captain Meko Kaire of the Galleon of Athena declares that this voyage around the World has begun! Are you with me?"
"Yes, Captain!" replied all.
"Then let's fly ahead and seal Poseidon in his Seven Seas. For Athena!"
And the Galleon of Athena picked up speed and set off on a grand adventure around the Seven Seas. The spirit was the best it could be among those five sailors. Although they were total strangers to each other, they were handpicked by Captain Kaire, so that gave them some hope in crossing the Seven Seas and fulfilling that very difficult task.
"Land ahoy!" shouted Lunara again, waving the bell crazily from her basket in crow's nest.
"That is still Greece!" June shouted from downstairs, a little impatiently.
She looked to her side and Meko had a smile on his face, because with a light heart and a stomach chilled by the sea breeze, they all somehow felt renewed when they left the rocks of Greece behind and saw before them the immensity of the Aegean Sea. Captain Meko Kaire was known in Rodorio as the Silver Saint Moses, which was what happened to foreigners who arrived there and were given new names by the local population; but it was in the sea that he really existed, it was in the sea that his heart was, and in the sea he was known as Meko Kaire, the Captain.
ABOUT THE CHAPTER: The tensions in the Council of Athena, I confess I took inspiration on those bizarre SEELE Evangelion meetings, haha. Making Shinato and Mirai ascend was a moment to unite them all. And finally, the crew's choice was to bring in underused characters. to the story Meko (Moses) goes to sea, as he was clearly already a seafaring character, so I wanted to make him a respected Captain using his given name (that I made up). Geist is also an obvious choice from the Anime. June, since the Sanctuary arc, I had already planted the idea that she would learn things in Jamir and would be a cool addition. Lunara has also been introduced as a very skilled engineer, while Seiya is the protagonist. He needs to be there. Not having the other main Bronze Saints was intentional.
NEXT CHAPTER: THE ISLAND OF THE LITTLE-ONES
With half the crew sick on the high seas, June and Meko clash over the mission's success, but must team up to get more supplies on a seemingly abandoned island.